Sorry I missed last Wednesday. You didn't really expect me to do a book review every week did you? My mom had knee surgery and we were on the road to NC to be with her during that, so I did not get a chance to post anything last week. She is doing well, but the rehab is very painful, so prayers would be appreciated.
Anyway, right now I am reading the book Atlas Shrugged. If any of you have read it, you know that it is not a quick and easy read, plus it is about 1500 pages long! Definitely the longest book I have ever read, but I am determined to plug through it and write a review when I am done. I am just letting you know, however, that my reviews for the next few weeks (or months) will probably be things I have read in the past or have read to my kids. My current reading material is giving me a run for my money - and reading is by far my favorite pastime, but this book is not just reading, it is thinking, and underlining, and re-reading. I will let you know the outcome!
Today, I am going to review the first book in a series that my girls love, and I read to myself as well. Elsie Dinsmore was written by Martha Finley in the last 1800 to early 1900s. Before her death in 1909, she wrote the first twenty-eight books in the series, and since then more books have been added to the series. It is a little more difficult to get your hands on an original Elsie book, because now Christian book stores carry the "new" version, which I lovingly refer to as the "dumbed down" version. The "new" Elsie books are morally sound books, but there is just something special about a book written in nineteenth century language, and with the vernacular of the times.
Elsie Dinsmore is a little girl who has lost her mother and never met her young, wealthy father. When her mother dies, she is sent to live on her father's childhood estate, with her grandfather, his wife, and their children. Elsie is a very pious little girl of eight, having been taught to love Jesus by her "dear ole Mammy" and her Scottish housekeeper. The book is set in the South, though you never know exactly what state, and there are slaves on the plantation. Elsie's mammy, Chloe, is all the world to her in her new home. Finally, Elsie meets her father, Horace Dinsmore, who takes his responsibilities as a father very seriously, but who truly does not know how to love and raise a little girl. Elsie prays for her father's salvation and submits to him as far as her conscience allows, even when he is very harsh.
The first book takes the reader through Elsie meeting her father and through her witnessing to him about Jesus time and time again, to no avail. Mr. Dinsmore is a "religious" man and feels that his church attendance and good treatment of his slaves is more than enough to get to Heaven. Elsie, who knows that a relationship with Jesus is more important than anything in life, is distressed concerning her father's soul. The first book leaves the reader not knowing the outcome of Elsie's pleadings with the Father, concerning her earthly father. In the second book, there is a crisis in which Mr. Dinsmore must make a choice and he does choose God. The subsequent books, of which our family has enjoyed around 50, follow Elsie through her life as she grows up, marries, and has children and grand-children of her own.
The criticism of the book is that Elsie is just "too good." She is studying the scriptures for hours per day and always an obedient and compliant child. She never seems to engage in childish disobedience and always seems to have an understanding of spiritual things way beyond her years. This is all true, and one would be tempted to think of this as a reason not to read the books. However, with all of the garbage out there for little girls to read today, and sadly, our family has found some of this even from "christian" authors, we have enjoyed Elsie all the more for her purity, goodness, and absolute allegiance to the Lord. We have found a few theological points that we did not completely agree with, which have made good discussion topics in our family, and we have talked about the fact that Elsie's behavior is almost "perfect" which is not typical of course. However, since Christ likeness is our goal, my girls have benefited greatly from reading about how Elsie handled certain situations and have even commented that when in a certain situation they thought of how Elsie would have responded. In the books, Elsie does give insight into her personal thoughts and feelings, which are sometimes sinful. After all, God is interested in our hearts, not just in "good" behavior, and Elsie clearly knows this. She is a great example of repentance and eager to forgive when people offend her.
Bryce enjoyed these books when she was between 10-12 and now I am reading them aloud to Lyndsey, who is 10. I noticed that our Christian bookstore sells Elsie dolls and clothing. I have been able to find our copies of the "original" Elsie books at www.visionforum.com and sometimes I can find them at our state homeschool convention. Enjoy!
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